David Miliband: I am today publishing a report on Departments' and Agencies' performance on handling Members' and Peers' correspondence for 2004. Details are set out in the attached table. Departmental figures are based on substantive replies unless otherwise indicated.
	The footnotes to the table provide general background information on how the figures have been compiled.
	
		Correspondence from MPs/Peers to Ministers and agency chief executives(1)
		
			  2003 2004 
			 Department or Agency Target setfor reply(workingdays) Number oflettersreceived Percentageof replieswithin target Target setfor reply(workingdays) Number oflettersreceived Percentageof replieswithin target 
		
		
			 Cabinet Office 15 443 90 15 637 88 
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs(2) 20 2,746 49 20 3,416 64 
			 Court Service 15 464 95 15 429 95 
			 HM Land Registry 20 48 96 20 44 95 
			 National Archives 15 30 90 15 149 100 
			  10* 34 100
			 Northern Ireland Court Service — — — 15 14 92 
			 Official Solicitor and Public Trustee — — — 15 17 100 
			 Public Guardianship Office 15 95 88 15 134 93 
			 * Target for correspondence sent direct to Agency Chief Executive.   
			 Crown Prosecution Service 15 298 88 15 520 98 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 18 5,460 85 18 4,817 78 
			 HM Customs and Excise(3)4 18 2,040 62 18 1,321 51 
			 Ministry of Defence(3) 15 5,565 76 15 5,989 62 
			 Armed Forces Personnel 15 93 98 15 126 99 
			 Administration Agency   
			 Army Personnel Centre 15 16 94 - - - 
			 Defence Estates 15 24 88 15 11 100 
			 Defence Housing Executive 15 14 79 - - - 
			 UK Hydrographic Office 15 14 100 - - - 
			 Veterans Agency 15 251 94 15 287 99 
			 Warship Support Agency - - - 15 15 91 
			 Department for Education and Skills 15 14,424 92 15 15,313 93 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 15 10,410 68 15 14,305 81 
			 Food Standards Agency 20 981 13 20 782* 59 
			 20 78** 95 
			 * Letters where Health Ministers have replied.   
			 ** Letters where Chief Executive/Chairman has replied.   
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 20 30,168 80 20 26,942 83 
			 UK Visas(5) 15 16,964 86 15 12,849 45 
			 Department of Health6 20 19,029 54 20 20,140 80 
			 NHS Estates(7) - - - 20 112 73 
			 NHS Pensions Agency 10 63 84 - - - 
			 NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency - - - 20 57 60 
			 Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency 10 26 85 10 284 81 
			 Home Office (non IND correspondence) 15 (20 daysfor IND) 37,153 58 15 9,445 76 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)(8) - - - 20 35,802 34 
			 Criminal Records Bureau 10 461 92 10 272 95 
			 HM Prison Service(9) 20 1,437 65 20 1,154 73 
			 UK Passport Service 10 337 79 10 486 74 
			 Inland Revenue(3) 18 2,803 81 18 2,993 85 
			 * Local Tax Office delegated figures (where local tax offices have 18 1,795* 35 18 1,601* 4510 
			 replied to direct to MPs) 
			 Valuation Office 18 13 77 18 18 83 
			 Department for International Development 15 3,676 88 15 4,686 80 
			 Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lord's Office 15 43 88 15 60 87 
			 Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers 15 325 65 15 404 63 
			 Northern Ireland Office 10 503 69 10 567 68 
			 Compensation Agency — — — 7 125 67 
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service 10 44 68 10 48 85 
			 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 15 8,737 73 15 10,135 81 
			 Planning Inspectorate 8 384 89 8 379 81 
			 Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 15 385 96 15 504 95 
			 Scotland Office 15 73 87 15 82 77 
			 Department for Trade and Industry 15 14,678 58 15 11,807 72 
			 Companies House 10 33 100 10 56 98 
			 Employment Tribunals Service(1) - - - 10 61 93 
			 Insolvency Service 10 34 88 10 33 94 
			 Patent Office 10 484 98 10 297 84 
			 Department for Transport 15 10,196 88 15 8,593 86 
			 Driving Standards Agency 15 108 90 15 198 79 
			 DVLA 7 1,028 99 7 1,276 100 
			 Highways Agency 15 263 85 15 285 95 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 10 33 97 10 20 100 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 15 25 92 15 13 77 
			 HM Treasury3 15 4,036 83 15 4,316 86 
			 National Savings and Investments 15 24 70 15 74 92 
			 National Statistics 15 193 84 15 189 95 
			 * Letters where National Statistician replied on Ministers' behalf 10 104* 84 10 133* 73 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Department 10 34 100 10 49 98 
			 Wales Office 15 120 82 15 109 92 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 20 12,157 74 20 13,319 86 
			 Appeals Service 15 84 88 15 50 98 
			 Child Support Agency(1) 20 3,521 87 15 5,390 88 
			 Jobcentre Plus 15 1,052 69 15 1,136 90 
			 The Pension Service 15 1,157 50 15 1,340 89 
			 Disability and Carers Service 15 554 99 15 451 100 
			 Debt Management 15 31 85 15 25 100 
			 Child Benefit Centre 20 11 91 - - - 
			 Health and Safety Executive 10 195 91 10 127 70 
		
	
	(1) Departments and agencies which received 10 MPs/Peers letters or less during 2004 are not shown in this table. Holding or interim replies are not included unless otherwise indicated.
	(2) Internal restructuring and changes to the correspondence handling system undertaken during second half of 2004. As a result, performance improved to 88 per cent during that period.
	(3) Includes all ministerial correspondence.
	(4) Downturn in performance due to internal restructuring and changes in the correspondence handling system. Introduction of new system improved performance to 82 per cent in the last quarter of 2004.
	(5) Unit is aware of poor performance in 2004 and is taking the necessary measures to improve performance in 2005.
	(6) Performance improved to 91 per cent in final quarter of 2004.
	(7) Includes eight letters sent directly to agency chief executive, 100 per cent were answered within the 10 working day response target.
	(8) IND experienced a 46 per cent increase (a 13 per cent increase in ministerial correspondence) in correspondence in 2004. Difficulties following the roll out of a new correspondence handling system led to significant delays. Necessary measures are being implemented to improve performance in 2005.
	(9) Includes a small number of interim replies.
	(10)Performance suffered due to exceptionally high volume of complaints received concerning working and child tax credits generally as claimants became familiar with a new system. Further efforts are being made to improve internal correspondence handling systems which will lead to an improvement in performance.
	(11)Includes four letters sent directly to agency chief executive, 100 per cent were answered within the 10 working day response target.
	(13)Response target reduced from 20 to 15 working days in 2004.